Activating composition for the tapping of trees

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to an activating composition for the tapping of trees, particularly of live trees of the Pinus family. Said composition comprises (dry weight) 5-60 parts of an alkali metal or alkaline-earth metal or ammonium lignosulfite and (calculated as H2SO4) 24-93 parts of an aqueous sulfuric acid having a H2SO4 concentration of 30-94 wt percent.

Unite i States Patent [1 1 [111 3,858,354 Soulard Jan. 7, 1975 ACTIVATING COMPOSITION FOR THE [56] References Cited TAPPING 0F TREES UNITED STATES PATENTS [75] Inventor: Patrick Marie Alfred Soulard, 2,053,031 9/1936 Hessenland et al 47/10 Talence, France 3,022,604 2/l962 Greth et al 47/l0 [73] Assigneaz Societe Dimer Collecfif Agricole 3,359,681 [2/1967 Clements 47/10 Des Sylviculteurs Du Sud-Quest FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS (S.I.C.A.S.S.O.), Bordeaux, France 275,586 10/1970 USS- [22] Filed: Oct. 4, 1973 Primary ExaminerRobert E. Bagwill PP 404,631 Attorney, Agent, or FirmYoung & Thompson Related US. Application Data [62] Division of $61. No. 305,282, Nov. 10, 1972, ABSTRACT abandoned This invention relates to an activating composition for the tapping of trees, particularly of live trees of the [30] Forelgn Apphcatm Pnomy Data Pinus family. Said composition comprises (dry weight) Nov. 25, 1971 France 71.42229 5-6() parts of an alkali metal or alkaline-earth metal or ammonium lignosulfite and (calculated as H 80 [52] U.S. CI. 47/10 24-93 part of an aqueous sulfuric acid having a [5 I] Int. Cl A01g 23/10 H2804 concentration of 30-94 wt percent. [58] Field of Search 47/10-12 11 Claims, No Drawings OF TREES This is a division, of application Ser. No. 305,282, filed Nov. 10, 1972 now abandoned.

lected for the composition, and also of the climate conditions prevailing at the place of application of the composition. Thus, for example, the higher the ambient temperature, the lower the concentration advanta- This invention relates to an activating composition 5 geously selected, this being for the purpose of preventfor the tapping of trees, and more particularly of live ing an attack of the tree on which the composition is trees of the Pinus family. applied. 7

It is known, Since some years, to use 36 Sulfuric The composition may also, although not necessarily, acid to activate Promote the pp g of live trees, contain urea in an amount of up to about 10 parts, usu- SUCh as trees of the Pinus family. The sulfuric acid is 10 ally less than 5 parts and advantageously within arange sprayed onto the notches formed in the trees and its eff 5 t 2 parts, b i h U was found to i feCt is to Promote the Secretion of e resin. force the activating action of the composition and also The object of this invention is to provide a new sulfuto h v th ff t f ti l i th tree i lf, ric acid activating composition which Will result in in- To prepare a liquid composition according to this increased yields of resin production without any danger vention, either powdered lignosulfite, and optionally of deterioration of the tree to which it is applied. urea, may be dissolved in dilute sulfuric acid (having a This composition is characterized in that it com- 7 concentration of 30-60 percent, for example), or an prises, by weight, 5-60 parts (dry material) of an alkali aqueous lignosulfite solution may be used and mixed metal or alkaline-earth metal or ammonium lignosulfite with concentrated sulfuric acid (66 Be) for example. and 24-93 parts (calculated as H 80 of an aqueous The composition of this invention is usually applied sulfuric acid having a H SO. concentration of about 30 onto the notches of the trees either by spraying, in the to about 94 wt. percent. case ofa liquid composition, or in the form of cords, in

According to another feature of the invention, the the case of a pasty composition. composition contains also urea in an amount equal at The composition may be prepared at the time of apmost to about 10 parts by weight. 25 plication or beforehand; in this case, however, in view Further features and advantages of this invention will of its hygroscopic character, it will advantageously be be apparent from the ensuing description. stored under airand moisture-free conditions.

The composition according, to this invention com- The composition iS useful for activating the tapping prises essentially sulfuric acid and a lignosulfite. of numerous live trees, more particularly of the Pinus The lignosulfite used is selected from the group confamily, yp y of Pinus Palustris (South-East 0f the sisting of the alkali metal (particularly sodium), alka- Pinus Iaedll (South-East 0f the -L Pinus line-earth metal (particularly calcium) and ammonium radium 0f insignis (California), Pinus ellivtii lignosulfites. East of the U.S.A.), Pinus silvestris (Europe and Asia),

Ammonium lignosulfite is preferred in view of the Pinus Halepentis (Mediterranean Pinus nigra relatively acidic pH (within a range of about 3 to about (Austria, J Pinus nigriclms (Austria), Pinus 7) of its aqueous solutions. pinaster (Mediterranean and Atlantic areas), Pinus The lignosulfite is used in the composition of this in- Cynesis Pinus brlllia y Albania), and vention in an amount of about 5 to about 60 parts, by the likeweight. For liquid compositions typically applicable by It was found that its use resulted in an increased resin spraying, amounts of 5-15 parts, by weight, are advan 40 yield of the orderof 5-l0 percent over that resulting tageously used. To obtain pasty compositions typically Q the cohvehhohal PP Wlth Be Sulfuric li bl i h for f cords d i d on h acid, according to the nature of the trees, of the clinotches, amounts of lignosulfite closer to the higher mate of the S011 and 0f the composlhohvalues of this range will be used. The following non limiting examples are given to il- A pasty composition will also be obtained by adding hlslrate the inventionto the aforementioned components varying amounts of h a filler such as kaolin.

The lignosulfite may be added to the composition in EXAMPLE 1 Powder form, or as an qu tion, as explained 50 The following composition was prepared for use in a hereinafter. 500 ml capacity spraying device: 75 g of powdered am- The second component of the composition of this inmonium lignosulfite (pH 3 grade) dissolved in 750 g of vention is sulfuric acid. It may be used in an amount of 60 percent sulfuric acid (483 Be).

24-93 parts, by weight, calculated as H 80 It is pro- This composition was sprayed onto the notches vided in the form of an aqueous sulfuric acid having an formed in Pinus pinaster trees planted in a variety of H 80, concentration of about 30 to about 94 wt. per-' soils, and the amount of resin collected over one season cent, the higher concentration corresponding to the was compared with that obtained from trees of the most concentrated acid presently available commersame family planted in the same soils and tapped by cially (66 Be 93.19% H 80 means of 48 Be sulfuric acid, according to the conven- The concentration of the acid will be selected on the tional method. The results obtained are set forth in the basis of the type of formulation (liquid or pasty) setable below.

25 Tree Conventional Tapping with the compo- Iots tapping sition of the invention Yield increase Lot No. kg kg kg A 500 ml dose of liquid activating composition is prepared, using a 27.77 wt. percent aqueous ammonium lignosulfite solution (75 g of powdered lignosulfite dissolved in 270 g of water) and by adding thereto 405 g of 66 Be sulfuric acid.

EXAMPLE An activating composition is prepared by dissolving 136 g powdered ammonium lignosulfite in 614 g of 30 percent sulfuric acid (27 Be).

EXAMPLE 4 An activating composition is formed from the following components:

wt. percent ammonium lignosulfite 1 wt. percent urea 89 wt. percent 48 Be sulfuric acid (about 50 wt. percent).

The powdered lignosulfite and the urea are dissolved in the sulfuric acid, to give a sprayable liquid composition.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Process for activating the tapping of trees, particularly of live trees of the Pinus family, consisting of applying on notches formed in the trees an activating composition comprising, by weight, 5-60 parts, based on dry material, of a lignosulfite selected from the group consisting of the alkali metal, alkaline-earth metal and ammonium lignosulfites and 24-93 parts, calculated as H of an aqueous sulfuric acid having a H 80 concentration of from about 30 to about 94 wt. percent.

2. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said activating composition further contains from 0.5 to 10 parts by weight of urea.

3. Process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the amount of said urea is of from 0.5 to 5 parts, by weight.

4. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lignosulfite is ammonium lignosulfite used in powder form.

5. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lignosulfite is ammonium lignosulfite used in the form of an aqueous solution.

6. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lignosulfite is sodium lignosulfite.

7. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lignosulfite is calcium lignosulfite.

8. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lignosulfite is present in said activating composition in an amount of 5-l5 parts by weight.

9. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said composition is applied in liquid form.

10. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said composition is applied in paste form.

11. Process as claimed in claim 10, wherein said composition further contains an inert inorganic filler. 

1. PROCESS FOR ACTIVATING THE TAPPING OF TREES, PARTICULARLY OF LIVE TREES OF THE PINUS FAMILY, CONSISTING OF APLYING ON NOTCHES FORMED IN THE TREES AN ACTIVATING COMPOSITION COMPRISING, BY WEIGHT, 5-60 PARTS, BASED ON DRY MATERIAL, OF A LIGNOSULFITE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE ALKALI METAL, ALKALINE-EARTH METAL AND AMMOMIUM LIGNOSULFITES AND 24-93 PARTS, CALCULATED AS H2SO4, OF AN AQUEOUS SULFURIC ACID HAVING A H2SO4, CONCENTRATION OF FROM ABOUT 30 TO ABOUT 94 WT. PERCENT.
 2. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said activating composition further contains from 0.5 to 10 parts by weight of urea.
 3. Process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the amount of said urea is of from 0.5 to 5 parts, by weight.
 4. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lignosulfite is ammonium lignosulfite used in powder form.
 5. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lignosulfite is ammonium lignosulfite used in the form of an aqueous solution.
 6. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lignosulfite is sodium lignosulfite.
 7. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lignosulfite is calcium lignosulfite.
 8. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lignosulfite is present in said activating composition in an amount of 5-15 parts by weight.
 9. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said composition is applied in liquid form.
 10. Process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said composition is applied in paste form.
 11. Process as claimed in claim 10, wherein said composition further contains an inert inorganic filler. 